Advertising medium.



B. I'. HESSOM, Jn. ADVERTISING MEDIUM. APPLIGATION FILED Nov. 21. 190e. RENBWBD Dnc. 30,1908.

Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

BENJAMINE F. HESSOM, JR., OF ASPINWAL TO WILLIAll/I J. BAILEY, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

L, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-N OR OF ON E-HALE ASPIN WALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADVERTISING MEDIUM.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMINE F. HussoM, Jr., citizen of the United States of America, residing at Aspinwall, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising Mediums, of which the following' is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompany ing drawing.

This invention relates to advertising mediums particularly designed for street cars, and the invention has for its primary object to provide interchangeable advertising signs for the interior of street cars which Will be automatically moved to temporarily display signs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive advertising device that can be readily mounted within a car to display signs for predetermined periods of time, the mechanism employed to accomplish this result being durable and entirely independent of the car operating mechanism.

A particular feature of my invention resides in the mechanism which I employ for actuating my improved advertising device or medium at predetermined times, said mechanism being hereinafter described in detail, together with the construction entering into the remainder of the advertising device.

Referring to the drawing forming part of this specification, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a car equipped with my improved advertising device, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the same, Fig. 8 is a detail vieuT of a beveled gear used in connection with the device, Fig'. 4L is an enlarged cross sectional view of one of the revoluble drums or cylinders of the device.

To put my invention into practice, I provide a car 1 With tvvo longitudinally disposed shafts 2 and 3, said shafts being journaled between the front and rear Walls of the car directly above the seats thereof. Each shaft comprises two telescopic sections 2a and 8a, said sections being secured together by a pin 4a. The sectional shafts are Specification of Letters Patent. Application led November 21, 1906, Serial No. 344,376. Renewed December 30, 1908.

Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

serial No. 470,063.

used whereby they can be adjusted to different lengths of cars. The shafts 2 and 3 at one of their ends are provided with sprocket wheels 4 connected together by a chain 5. The shaft 2 extends through one of the end vwalls of the car and is provided with a beveled gear wheel G. Meshing with the beveled gear wheel (3 is a beveled gear wheel 7 carried by the upper end of a shaft 8 joui-naled in a casing 9, mounted upon the platform 10 of the car. The shaft 8 extends below the platform 10 and is provided with a beveled gear wheel 11 adapted to mesh with a segment rack 12 carried by a wheel 14, said wheel being mounted upon the armature shaft 15 of a motor 16. The motor is suitably supported beneath the car platform preferably by a, bracket 17, and is driven from a suitable source of electrical energy used in operating the car 1. The wheel 14 can be driven however, in any other desired manner.

On the shafts 2 and 8 and adjacent the ends thereof, I provide heads 1S each having its inner face provided with an annular groove formed close to the periphery of the head. Each head is carried by one of the sections of the shaft, and by reason of the telescopic formation of the shaft said heads may be adjusted toward and from each other to vary the distance therebetween. Extending from one head to the other and having their ends formed to extend Within the grooves of the heads, are a plurality of strips 21 Which serve not only to space the heads, but at the same time serve to support strips 19 which extend circumferentially betvveen the strips 21, the strips 19 extending in planes parallel With the planes of the head 18. Each strip 21 is provided with longitudinally extending grooves within which the edges of advertising cards, plates or signs 23 can be placed. The curved plates or signs are preferably made of translucent or transparent material.

By reason of the fact that the strips 21 are removably secured within the heads, variations in the length of the drums or cylinders can be provided by simply changing the positions of the heads to permit of the removal of the strips 21 and substituting therefor strips of shorter or longer length as may be desired, thereby permitting of the formation of a drum of any desired length without the necessity of providing an entire new structure, and without affecting any of the inner electrical devices which may be contained therein.

The strips 21 may be of any desired form which will securely hold the advertising cards, plates or signs 23, and in Fig. 1 said strips are shown substantially T-shaped in cross-section, the cards Q3 having their longitudinal edges received under the projecting flanges of the strips.

In operation, as the motor 1G revolves the wheel 1-1, and the teeth 12 of the rack on said wheel are brought into mesh with the teeth of the beveled gear 11, the shaft 8 will be rotated to drive the drum-shafts and drum, until the teeth of rack 12 pass out of engagement with the teeth of beveled gear 11, the shaft S and drums remaining stationary until the wheel 14 makes a complete revolution and the teeth of rack 12 again engage the teeth of beveled gear 11. rlhus, the wheel 141 makes practically three revolutions to impart one complete revolution to the gear wheel 11, the rotation of the wheel 14 being a continuous one during the time the motor is operating, whereas, the movement imparted to the gear 11, shaft S, gear 7, and the drum-shafts and drums is an intermittent one, in order that the signs displayed on one side of the drums will be exposed to view from the interior of the car for the length of time that the shaft S remains stationary, and then partially rotated to expose toview other of the signs carried by the drums.

In Fig. 4; is illustrated a modified form of cardholding strips, designated 21, which are shown as provided with grooves 22 in two opposite faces of the strips to receive the longitudinal edges of the cards 23.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing, it will be observed that I fully utilize the available advertising space of the car for displaying a multiplicity of signs, each of which is displayed a sufficient time in order that it may be read by the occupants of the car. My improved advertising medium is also applicable to theaters, barber shops and railway stations, where the drums may be suitably operated.

I do not care to confine my improved advertising device to a street car as it is applicable to various kinds of vehicles or compartments adapted for occupants.

That I claim and desire to secure by ters Patent, is

In an advertising device, a plurality of spaced sign carriers, each having a pivotal movement and operatively connected to move in unison, each of said carriers comprising a driven shaft formed in sections arranged to telescope and provide a shaft of adjustable length, means for retaining the shaft sections in their adjusted positions, a head carried by each of said sections, strips supported by the heads and formed to receive advertising signs, arcshaped strips extending in a parallel plane with the heads to form dividing strips and supports between adjacent signs, and means for imparting movement to said carriers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMINE F. HESSOM, JR.

Vitnesses:

MAX H. SRoLovrrz, A. J. TRIGG.

Let- 

